The Delphic Emir

The Royal Ball - 2

Author's POV:

" Hey Sweetheart, Ain't you ready?" Asked Karthik frowning at Anvi.

" I will, but the party is at night right?" Anvi too frowned looking at him mimicking the exact way.

" Stop copying me little rascal," Karthik said and picked her up ticking her stomach. Anvi's laughs echoed in the whole chamber and were loud enough to be heard by the people passing through the corridor.

" Who... is.... the little rascal?" Came a small voice whose head is peeking from the huge Mahogany doors. Anvi and Karthik looked at the doors and smiled.

" Hi Vihaan." Anvi chirped and he nodded gently lifting his hand.

" Hi, Honey." Diya trilled making the three of them flinch. They looked at her and she looked cute in a peach-coloured robe. Her waist-length hair looked wet dripping with water. The sweet smell of her body wash is all over the room making the three of them take a long whiff. Diya looked at Karthik with her side eye and Karthik had a neutral look.

" Hi, Aunt Diya." Vihaan spoke in a low tone.

" What happened, baby? Mumma scolded you?" Asked Karthik placing Diya on the bed. Vihaan tightened his lips and nodded in no.

" I was that little rascal you were yelling, right Uncle Karthik?" Vihaan asked in a meek voice.

" No, he was calling me the little rascal because I was copying his actions." Anvi interfered to clear the misunderstanding. He made a cute oh with his lips and Karthik chuckled. He opened his arms but Vihaan nodded in no with a small smile and left the place.

" Mumma will kill me if she gets to know that I'm with you people." He mumbled lowly and looked at the closed door. Karthik looked at Diya with a lot of pain in his eyes while Diya didn't even like looking into his eyes. Karthik's hopes were crashing as the days for her to leave were approaching. His heart was in a panic mode. He doesn't want to send his wife away.

" What were we supposed to do till the Ball starts?" Asked Anvi looking at Karthik and Diya. Her big eyes never missed the discomfort and the tension between her Uncle and Aunt.

" Let's doll up and have some nice pictures." Diya said with an excited expression which immediately cheered up the little munchkin.

" That sounds fun Aunty." Anvi screamed looking at Karthik with a different glint in her eyes.

" Why are you looking at me like that?" Asked Karthik raising his eyebrows.

" Because......" Anvi dragged and Karthik sighed. He didn't get what she was trying to say.

" Because you will be our photographer. And Dear King, please learn some techniques online on how to click beautiful pictures of these beautiful girls. Learn the basics of photography and excel in your work. I'll reward you. Do this by the time I take my bath." Anvi sassed and Kissed Karthik's cheek patting his cheek. Karthik looked at her dumb-folded and Diya lightly chuckled. His lips slowly curled into a small smile seeing his wife laugh.

As Anvi said, he tried learning the basics of mobile photography and he experimented with a few tricks on the vases placed in their room. Diya walked into the closet and looked at the clothes. She didn't understand what to wear. She felt carrying a saree was a task and she wanted to wear something comfortable today.

She chose a white off-shoulder top and white denim shorts. She blow-dried her hair and left the waves as it was. She applied a small amount of aqua-flavoured moisturizer and came out only to knock down his senses. Karthik's mobile showed his wife in a white outfit and he was gobsmacked. He lifted his head and looked at her and his heart raced. She looked ethereal and totally out of this world. Karthik's throat dried and he thought for a second to blink his eyes. He wished that this was not a dream and that if he blinked, she'd vanish.